Autumn in the Vail Valley

Autumn: The Best Time of Year to Visit Vail

The days are getting shorter and the evenings are getting colder, it means one thing, autumn is slowly approaching. As our Rocky Mountain summer is coming to a close, there are still plenty of activities and events to enjoy in the Vail Valley before the snow flies, you just may need to bring along a puffy jacket, gloves, and a beanie.

Spend September 19th – 20th in Beaver Creek at the Rendezvous Music Festival. This is a ticketed event which hosts concerts at Strawberry Park and the Vilar Performing Arts Center. The Vilar is a beautiful 530 seat intimate theater in Beaver Creek, there is nothing quite like experiencing a show in this venue. Strawberry Park is just that, a park, bring your blanket to sit on or wrap up in and don’t forget your puffy jacket, gloves, and a beanie just in case. Plan on quenching your thirst with a Deep Eddy Vodka cocktail, Blue Nectar Agave margarita or beer from Colorado Native, remember, no outside alcohol permitted. Three of my favorite bands playing at this festival are Wade Bowen, Jason Isbell, and Jackopierce. I may be dating myself, remember when Jackopierce used to play shows in Vail Village back in the 1990s?? I think I had one of their CDs…..Oh, don’t forget your puffy jacket, gloves, and beanie for the outdoor shows.

Culinary experiences in the Vail Valley are some of the best in the country. Vail Valley locals and visitors alike always look forward to the off-season for restaurant specials. Half price entrées, buy one entrée get one entrée, this is when going out for dinner becomes a sport, how many of the Valley’s remarkable restaurants are you able to indulge at when specials are offered? Why not indulge at some of Vail and Beaver Creek’s iconic restaurants for only $20.14! I’ve been in restaurants where a glass of wine costs $20.00! During Vail Beaver Creek Restaurant Week-Dining at Altitude, I can get an entrée (depending on the restaurant, it will offer either breakfast, lunch, an appetizer for two or dinner) for $20.14?! One of my favorite breakfast spots in Vail is Ludwig’s at the Sonnenalp. Ludwig’s is offering their over the top breakfast for $2014. Sip on your oversized cup of coffee in the breathtaking atrium overlooking the pool and Gore Creek. There really is no better way to start a new day then at Ludwig’s for breakfast. For lunch, drive west on I-70 to Beaver Creek Village to enjoy a unique seafood dish at Hooked. I’ll bet you’ve never had seafood like the “Crimpster” (CRab, shrIMP, and lobSTER) which is then wrapped in bacon, YES PLEASE! I think I’ll be making more than one reservation at Hooked for this unusual delicacy. Dinner will be back in Vail at Terra Bistro for APPY HOUR which is offered every day from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. year around. APPY HOUR offers half-price drink specials and appetizers at the bar. Be sure to get their early for a seat at the bar, this is a popular spot for locals. One of my favorite appetizers is the House Sprouted Quinoa Lettuce Cups. This dish is light, healthy and oh so messy. Don’t be afraid to use your hands and get after the lettuce cups! Move into the dining room for your $20.14 dinner special where all main courses are $20.14. Vail Beaver Creek Restaurant Week-Dining at Altitude will kick off its Second Annual event September 26th – October 5th. Call your friends and take advantage of the off-season with these unheard of restaurant deals. *Reservations are highly recommended since some restaurants only offer a certain number of $20.14 specials per day.*

I can’t ignore mentioning the main event of autumn in the High Country, the Aspen trees. When the first signs of golden yellow begin to change the mountainside, it’s time to plan some end of season hikes or schedule that bike ride or drive over Independence Pass to see the spectrum of fall colors. Take in the gold, yellow, amber and sometimes a rare glimpse of burnt orange and red leaves on the Independence Pass loop as you work up an appetite to have lunch in Aspen. It’s always an adventure to spend the afternoon meandering the streets of Aspen, finding a lunch spot and window shopping in a town so unlike our Vail Valley.

Whatever your autumn plans bring, enjoy it, the season goes quickly. The change in the aspen leaves is also a great time to start thinking about getting those skis and snowboards waxed, or buying that hot new ski outfit, as we know, it can snow any day on Vail Mountain. Book your Vail Lodging with us at Gore Creek Properties now for the off-season and your upcoming 2016-2017 ski vacation. Gore Creek Properties offers condominiums for that couples getaway to private homes in Vail for your family or corporate retreat. And don’t forget to pack a puffy jacket, gloves, and beanie for your mountain adventure.

Gore Creek Properties – Vail’s best property management company offering over 100 condominiums, private homes, and townhomes to rent in East Vail and beyond.